Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-18
ST. PATRICK'S DAY.
SERVICES AT ST PETERS CATHEDRAL
YESTERDAY M0RsIEG.
Panegyric by Rev. 2. K. Mccarty, Q
Danville, Va Parade Of
Societies.

At $50 o'clock A. M. yesterday the
Catholic societies assembled at Cathe-
dral Hall to celebrate the festival of st.
Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
AT 10 o'clock the line was formed at
the corner of Ninth and Marshall streets,
and the societies marched to the Cathe
dral, where solemn High Mass was sung.
In the sanctuary were twenty-five
acolytes and the Very Rev. A. Van de
Yyver, V. G., Revs. Il. VI. Tierney OF
the Cathedral, John r. Slattery of ST.
Jcseph's church, and +. Y. McCarty oi
Danville, who was the orator of the day.
Rev. John Doherty, of st. Patrick S
church. acted as celebrant, with Rev.
Joseph 7. O'Farrell, Of Petersburg, us
deacon, and NJ. f. Dinneen, of the
Cathedral, as sub.deacon.
Although the Catholic societies did
not tuIn out as fully as might have
been expected, the body Of the church
was comfortably filed and the galleries
crowded. The music was very good.
THE SERMON.
Father McCarty delivered his pane
Qyric from the first chapter of the Pro-
pbct jeremiah. He showed that men
had grown weary Of being mere ami
mails, and q cry rose up from their
hearts TO the high Heaven for pre-
server and a Saviour-one who would
answer their pathetic pleadings for o
higher. nobler life, and who would
guide them TO the haven of rest for
which their souls yearned. Christ, the
anointed, came down TO answer this
appeal, and when he left the earth to
enthrone Himself at his Fathers
right hand He took care to pro-
vide teachers-men fashioned into
holiness and spiritual knowledge
by His own hand-to perpetuate His
mission and propagate divine know
ledge and morality among the nations.
These wonderful men, wonderful III
faith and all sorts of Christian holi
noss-men who are called saints-arC
lust like Christ. lie was their model,
and then lives were really built on Hi:
life. This is prominently true OF hin
whose feast We celebrate to-day-St
Patrick. the glorious apostle of ireland
Born, according to the best historical
evidence, i'll Gaul. the present France, II
his boyhood he was captured bya rowing
band Of pirates, and carried. bono
slave, into Antrim, and fell to the lo'
of Milcho, whose hocks he tended
among the mountains. He spent well.
nigh six years in servitude, and beinl
released was again made captive, bu
finally obtained his liberty, after having
spent six more months in servitudc an.
returned to his beautiful Gaul. Actin
under the advice of ST. Germans III
pursued his studies for the priesthood
and spent thiiteen years in preparing
himself for the great undertaking.
ST. PATRICK MADE BISHOP.
Proceeding to Rome, the fountain
head Of all faith and authority, h'
made known to the Holy Father, Pope
st. Celestin, the plans he had matureC
for the conversion of Ireland. He Wa
consecrated bishop, and started for Ire
land, arriving of the coast OF Nuklov
in 432. His first conversion was tina
Of the daughter of Leary, King o
Tara. In o few years he had converted
the whole Of ireland, and when, bowed
down by years and the labors and aus
terities that had been the joys of hi
life. he could gaze over Ireland anC
see with holy satisfaction, what few
ever live to see, the extensive barves
he had CLEANED for God. Uttering hi
"Nunc Dimittis ;" he slept in the Lore
on the 18th of March, 493. Two gene
rations had not sped by after his deatl
when not single pagan could be founC
in all ireland, and this Christian con
quest was achieved without the shed
ding of a single drop OF blood.
GODS JUDGMENT.
As in the times of old God tried hi
servant Job by taking away everything
he had, and covering his body with ul
GERS, so He has done with Ireland but
amid the desolation, darkness, poverty
ana lHHblhuCt luAN NAhoDSb AhNh
famine-stricken hands in prayer anC
cried ont owe have received goot
things from the hand of the Lord, why
not evil things Blessed be the name
of the Lord, and as job was blessed s.
God will bless this land for It's faithful
ness to His name, and will multiply
the riches, and the learning, and the an
cient fame it had thousand fold; fol
He will make His rain to fail and Hi
sun 70 shine so that it will be happy
and good and pure in His sight forever
more"
After the sermon, which was listened
TO with interested attention, the con
creeation was dismissed and the socie
ties dispersed. Last night the mar
shals had banquet at Murphy's Hotel
The following gentlemen RESPONDED
to toasts Very Rev. Father Van dt
Vyver, Governor Fitzhugh Lee, +. }
Reilly, Rev. Father. Slattery, John l.
Higgins, Lyon G. Tyler JohnM. Ryall
w. Z. Reddy, Samuel 4. Witt, Richar'
l. NF,r~.ltkL